Director: Morten Tyldum
Release: 21st December 2016
Rating: 12A (UK), PG-13 (US)
With its’ limited cast and seemingly cliche story, Passengers
surprisingly succeeds in its’ depiction of a moving tale of loneliness,
morality and belonging.
When I first caught wind of Passengers, I pictured
an atypical, unimaginative love story only made slightly more
interesting by its’ sci-fi setting; Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt
the lucky A-listers brought in to up-sell a bland, poorly-scripted movie
thats’ only discernibly interesting concept has been stretched out over
a two-hour substance-less picture. Proof that you should never judge a
book by its’ cover.
Giving the movie a chance to prove me wrong, I found
not only a well-written story with underlying themes but excellent
casting in the form of Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence. Being the
predominant (and almost only) characters, Aurora Lane (Lawrence) and Jim
Preston (Pratt) had clear chemistry and an ability to command the
attention of the audience in a rather unique way.
The film primarily follows Jim Preston, a passenger on the spacecraft
‘Avalon’, on an intergalactic, 120-year-long journey to a new colony.
After waking up in his cryogenic sleep chamber years too early, Jim
finds himself alone (all bar (!) an android named Arthur - played
fascinatingly by Michael Sheen) and unable to force his way back to
sleep, despite multiple attempts and methods. Eventually, on the advice
of barman-turned-confidant Arthur, Jim accepts his fate and decides to
make use of all the spaceships’ facilities for the time he has left -
cue video-games, swimming pools and first-class cabins.
Despite previously resigning himself to a life devoid of social
interaction, Jims’ loneliness, desperation and understandable depression
slowly begins to drive him mad (a nod to The Shining, anyone?!) and he
contemplates suicide by opening an airlock without wearing a spacesuit.
The decision to exclude a large cast becomes apparent (and appropriate)
here, where one can empathise with Jim’s isolation and his longing for
new faces.
Enter: Aurora Lane. Thought-provoking and filled with moral dilemmas,
Aurora and Jim hit it off from the start, and Jim shines to Aurora
almost instantly after managing human contact for the first time in over
a year. After hearing his story, Aurora is sympathetic towards Jim, and
though doomed to perish years before anyone discovers what has happened
to them, their dynamics make way for a seemingly good life. Unaware of
the dangers that befall them, the circumstances surrounding how both Jim
and Aurora woke up then becomes apparent, and the spaceship begins to
experience severe failures that have to be solved in order for the
passengers and crew aboard (all still asleep) to be saved.
What I can absolutely commend about Passengers is how very
economical it is with its’ hidden meanings aside from its main concepts,
and how it flawlessly takes the plot where it needs to go, at a
reasonable pace for the viewer. Jennifer Lawrence doesn’t appear until
the film has properly set the scene - and whilst Pratt carries at least
the opening act alone, it doesn’t feel like ‘The Chris Pratt Show’; it
remains entertaining throughout.
The acting
quality is superb all around; Martin Sheen will likely be overlooked
this awards season, but deserves an honourable mention - the presence of
Arthur (a representation of the viewer), allows the thoughts, feelings
and troubles of the leads to be known - the unemotional voice between
character and movie-goer.
My one real criticism stems down to the charming-yet-essentially-predictable
romance between Aurora and Jim - though the writers’ clearly
self-aware. I would have preferred a story that focuses on a
boy-meets-girl turned friendship than blatant, unnecessary cheese -
though the relationship itself entirely integral to the plot. Though
easily foreseeable, Passengers did not suffer as a result.
Visually, the film is professional, the spaceship itself looked
incredible - and the soundtrack had some great choices in it including a
well-used Bob Dylan track and a made-for-movie Imagine Dragons tune. Passengers is
an overall great film, a sci-fi-come-romance that achieves the best of both worlds; an enjoyable presentation, very
compelling to watch. Don't be fooled by the trailers, it isn't that
bland, I promise.
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